Winter fruit salad

• good-quality ready-to-eat dried fruit↗600g g

  (such as prunes, pears, apricots, figs cranberries)

• clear honey↗3 tbsp tbsp
• vanilla pod↗1

  split lengthways

• Earl Grey tea bag↗1
• fresh lemon juice↗1 tbsp tbsp
• mascarpone↗

  or Greek yogurt, to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Tip the fruits and 700ml/11⁄4 pints cold water into a large saucepan. Add the honey and vanilla, scraping the seeds from the pod into the pan. Bring to the boil. Stir well, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly syrupy.

2. 2

   Take the pan off the heat and stir in the tea bag. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Discard the tea bag and vanilla pod, tip the fruits and liquid into a non-metallic bowl and pour over the lemon juice. Stir, then leave to cool. Cover and chill until ready to serve.